Tale of a Biron Omakes
by Sohlat-Daimah
Summary: Omakes from my other story "Tale of a Biron" Mostly dealing with the changes in the setting previous to the arriving of the SI.
1. For want of a nail: Taylor, part 1

**Being Taylor doesn't have to be suffering**

 **part 1  
**

September 2009, Arcadia high school.

I waved at dad as he drove off, finally letting drop the strong facade I had been putting on all morning. We have been distant since mum died. He was really depressed and I took refuge in my best friend, well ex-best friend now. Maybe he noticed my gloomy mood these last weeks and took the time to see me off the first day of high school to try and cheer me up or he was getting better himself.

I sigh as I turned to the entrance of the main building and started walking clutching my notebooks to my chest, not because I don't have space in my bag but to keep my hands from fidgeting. I've never been a social person, it was Emma who was the social butterfly, at most I had acquaintances with Emma as the notable exception.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, Emma was supposed to be here at my side. We worked really hard last term raising her grades so she could be accepted at Arcadia with me. Yet for some reason when I came back from camp last month she had changed her mind and insisted on going to Winslow high. Not only that, she made clear in no uncertain terms that she didn't want to be my friend anymore. The only different thing was that new girl, Sophia or something, that she started hanging out with.

Not even her mother or sister knew why she changed her mind and when asked her father only said that we should give her space. Zoe and Ann, Emma's mother and sister respectively, were really worried and tried to make her see reason, that Arcadia was a prestigious school and Winslow was little more than a recruiting ground for the gangs but Emma didn't budge. Finally a week ago they convinced me to try to make her change her mind again. The aftermath of that conversation resulted in me running out in tears because Emma used everything she knew about me to push my buttons and hurt me. That was the last time I talked to her.

Just remembering that conversation made my vision get blurry with tears. I was taking my glasses off to rub my eyes when I suddenly collided with someone dropping both my notebooks and my glasses.

"Hey, watch ..." I must have looked like a mess because she went immediately from annoyed to concerned "Are you okay?"

"Ye ... yes" I stuttered bending down to get my things "I'm really sorry about that."

"It's ok, don't worry about it. Here." She said handing me my glasses. I finally got a good look at the girl as we were picking up my notebooks. She had mousy brown hair and a face that for some reason seemed almost familiar. "New here?" She asked arching an eyebrow. That's when I noticed that I had been staring at her. Great, first day here and I was already building my reputation as the weird girl that goes around bumping into people and staring at them.

"Yes, it's my first day." I answered averting my eyes.

"Need help getting around, directions or anything?" She asked "I'm Amy, by the way."

"Oh, er ... Taylor." was my eloquent response as I offered her my hand. At first she seemed surprised at the gesture and for a second I wondered if I had made some kind of faux pas but then Amy just shrugged and took it. "They mailed me a map with my schedule and the number of my locker so I'm all set but thank you." I said giving her the best smile I could muster.

"Ok, then I guess I'll see you around." Amy gave me the last of my notebooks with a smile and walked off towards the entrance of the building.

"Uh, o ... ok." I said a bit too late for Amy to hear me. I sighed again and got the map and schedule out of my bag. "Now let's see where is my locker ..."

-o-

In the end it turned out to be a rather uneventful first morning. Most classes were the same, what we could expect to cover this term in that particular subject, with the only exception being homeroom were they explained a couple of special rules exclusive to Arcadia that were there to prevent outing the attending Wards.

When lunchtime rolled around I discovered that the cafeteria was big enough to accommodate two grades at the same time wich was good because it seemed like us freshmen shared the lunchtime with the sophomores.

As I had brought a home made lunch I skipped the line for the self service counter and went straight to search for a spot at one of the less populated tables. As I was wandering around I noticed that one of the tables was especially crowded. As I was trying to discern what was so special about that table one person caught my attention and apparently I caught hers too. Amy got up, took her still half full tray, said something to someone at the table and came directly at me.

"Hey, Taylor. Are you sitting with someone?" Asked Amy. I just shook my head still too surprised to give her a more elaborate answer. "Then do you mind if we eat our lunch outside?" She said pointing at the benches outside the cafeteria. "I was getting a bit claustrophobic with so many people around." She added as we headed to the exit.

"What was that about anyway?" I asked looking at the table she left a moment ago.

"Just my sister being the center of attention as usual. I swear I love her to death but sometimes she is exasperating. Plus she was getting all lovey dovey with her boyfriend and it was ruining my appetite."

"Oh, okay." I said letting the matter drop as we got to the benches outside.

"So, home made lunch?" Amy asked changing the subject "Good call, sometimes even I don't know what it is in the mystery meat they serve and that's saying something." She said with a smile and I got the feeling that I was missing some kind of joke.

After that we kept the conversation on light subjects like what I thought of my first classes here or what I could expect from each teacher. Finally when we both finished our food Amy got a resigned look on her face and said. "I'm sorry Taylor, I didn't introduce myself properly before. My name is Amy Dallon, pleased to meet you." She said offering her hand.

Wait, Amy Dallon "as in..." I said out loud without noticing.

"Yes, Panacea." Now I understood those resigned looks I was getting. Most likely every time she tried to reach out to someone they only saw the miracle healer not the person behind it. And to my shame if I had known who she was from the beginning I'd have been as blinded as everyone else.

Instead I saw a girl that probably felt as alone as I was feeling this morning. So instead of gaping or gushing over her celebrity status I just shook her hand and said "Taylor Hebert, pleasure is mine. So, you were saying about miss Hendricks math class?"

The smile she gave me was totally worth it. Maybe things will be all right after all.

-o-


	2. For want of a nail: Taylor, part 2

**Being Taylor doesn't have to be suffering part 2  
**

June 2010 Captain Hills mall  


I let out a huff as I let myself drop on the cheap plastic chair of the food court. If someone told me last year that I'd be out shopping with two superheroes I'd have asked them what kind of drug they were on. But here I am.

Even after all these months I can't believe how well Amy and I clicked with each other. It wasn't an instant thing of course. At first we just shared lunch and talked about whatever cached our fancy, books, music, movies, etc. Anything but cape stuff. I've never been a social person and neither is Amy so it was quite a surprise when I noticed that we had gone from acquaintances to being friends.

And of course as Amy and Vicky are what you could say a package deal I had to become acquaintanced with the other Dallon sister. Don't get me wrong, Vicky is a very nice girl... in small dosis.

For an introvert like me she can be very tiring. And as close as they are I'm sure it is the same for Amy. Especially when she gets into one of what we, that's Amy and I, call 'hurricane Vicky' moods where she drags you around whether you want or not. Case in point this whole shopping trip.

Lately Vicky has been in a matchmaking spree organizing double dates for Amy to go on accompanying her and her boyfriend. So far Amy has managed to avoid most of them and the couple she couldn't avoid were unmitigated disasters. Unfortunately for me it seems like Amy used me as an excuse one time too many so Vicky took upon herself to organize not a double but a triple date. She with her on and off boyfriend and her sister and I with two of her boyfriend's friends.

When I raised the issue of not having any clothes worthy of being worn on a date, after all I've always given priority to comfort over fashion, and that I don't have the budget to get something in such short notice, she countered with the fact that my birthday is coming soon so my new outfit would be her early birthday gift to me.

And that is how I found myself here in the mall on a Saturday morning with a couple of bags filled with my new clothes. At least I convinced Vicky of not getting anything too revealing for me unlike what she choose for Amy. After all this time you'd think Amy would be more used to reign her sister in but given the resigned look on her face it might be that she knows that trying to resist 'hurricane Vicky' is an exercise in futility.

It was when she tried to drag us into a lingerie shop when I made my getaway with the excuse of saving us a table at the food court. I don't need lingerie, it's not like I'm going to let anyone see me in my underwear anytime soon. I didn't see the expression on Amy's face but I can imagine her betrayed look. Sorry Amy you might be my best friend, but in this situation it is every woman for herself.

I rested my head in my hands and entertained myself watching the comings and goings of the shoppers that were crowding the various fast food joints during the lunch rush. I might not have the best view of the food court but when eating in public with two celebrities it is better to do so in the most secluded table you can find.

After a couple of minutes a glimpse of red on the edge of my vision drew my attention. I narrowed my eyes when I saw who it was. Just my luck, of all the people I could've come across it had to be my former friend who for some reason still had something against me.

Really, I don't know what is wrong with Emma. After we parted ways last year I expected not to hear from her again. But for some reason she kept sending me emails and posting messages in my Facespace account that were anything but friendly. I had to block her but she kept creating more expendable accounts to keep harassing me. I don't know if I'm more flattered or disturbed for the effort she keeps taking on me... who am I kidding? I'm definitely disturbed. At least she has kept it on the internet only and hasn't gone full creepy stalker on me in real life.

Emma was here with that girl from last summer Sheila or Sophia or something like that, I know it began with an 's'. She had also another two girls with her and all four of them were surrounding another girl. From what little I could make of her from here she was rather short and brunette.

I don't know if Emma sensed me watching her or if it was a coincidence but she turned in my direction and spotted me. When she drew the attention of the other girls to me the brunette took the opportunity to bolt.

Emma didn't seem to mind as she made her way directly to me with a smirk on her face. For a second I considered just getting up and walking away but I wasn't going to let her run me out of anywhere even if it was just a table at a mall. So instead I straightened up in my chair and crossed my arms.

"Taylor, I'm hurt. You don't answer to the messages of an old friend." She said with a false sincerity as she took the seat in front of me. Both hanger-ons stopped behind and to either side of her while Emma's friend came to my side of the table and stood over me cutting my easiest way out in a clear attempt of intimidation. "Maybe you should get a cell phone to be more accessible. After all it should be all right for another year at least. Right Taylor?"

"What do you want Emma?" I asked gritting my teeth at the obvious reference to my mother's accident.

"But Taylor, I only wanted to reconnect with my friend." Answered Emma with an exaggerated gesture of being wounded.

"You made perfectly clear that you didn't want me as a friend last time we saw each other."

"Ok, you got me." She said rolling her eyes "I'm not that good at acting to fake caring for someone as pathetic as you."

"Great, then leave." I said giving her a glare.

"Oh, but I'm curious you see. First Clements now you. Is there some kind of sale for losers going on today or what?" She said eyeing my bags.

Before I could react the thug at my side nudged the bags towards Emma with her foot.

"Thanks Sophia." Said Emma taking my bags.

"Give that back." I said as I tried to get up only to be shoved roughly back into my seat by Sophia.

"Give that back." Parroted Sophia mockingly. "See Emma, I told you that the best thing you could do was to lose this dead weight." Sophia added squeezing my shoulder with enough force to bruise. I grimaced but other than that I didn't give her the satisfaction of seeing me react.

"Hmm, let's see." Said Emma taking some of my new clothes out of the bags "Not bad, not bad. But totally wasted on something like you Taylor. I'm sure I can find some better use for them even if they won't fit me. Unlike you I've got curves after all."

"Get your hands off me." I said trying to get up again and getting the same results as before.

"Trying to make a scene Taylor? Trying call the security guards attention? I wouldn't do that if I were you. You wouldn't want to get arrested do you?"

"What?" I asked totally confused by the turn in the conversation.

"Oh, I know you Taylor. I know you don't have a credit card. Your loser of a father can't afford it so you must have paid these in cash somehow." Emma said still rummaging through my bags. "And I know you always leave the receipts in the bags. So they must be in here somewhere. So if security comes who do you think they'll believe? The daughter of the respectable lawyer and her three witnesses who have the receipts or the unstable loner girl daughter of a dock worker who assaulted us and tried to steal the clothes I just bought?"

I glared at her with everything I had "you'd think that wouldn't you?" I said and got ready to scream and make the worst scene I could. Hopefully it would attract enough attention for Amy and Vicky to notice.

"What the hell is going on here? What are you doing to her?" Interrupted Amy's voice before I could begin. I turned to see my friend stomping towards us.

"None of your business, get lost." Said Sophia leaving my side and getting in her face.

"Like hell it is not. That's my friend there." Answered Amy scowling at Sophia. "You okay Taylor?"

At least one of the hanger - ons recognized her because she paled and took a step back before tugging on the other's sleeve and mouthing 'let's get out of here'.

"Yes, Amy."

"W... whatever, one or two losers. It changes nothing." Interjected Emma still not getting who she was talking to. The other two girls were already walking as fast as they could away from us.

"And what do you think you are going to do about it?" Said Sophia pushing Amy back.

"Get my friend's things back and making sure you won't be able to put a foot in this mall ever again."

Emma frowned after hearing Amy's confident tone. Not so sure anymore she looked at me.

"Oh, Emma let me introduce you to my friend Amy Dallon." I said and took my chance to get my things back as Emma was taken aback by my revelation.

"S... Sophia maybe..."

"Shut up Emma, she is just a healer I can take her." Sophia interrupted advancing on Amy.

"Yes, I'm sure you can. But..." Amy said totally unfazed and pointed to a security camera covering the area "how long do you think it will take for an underpaid employee to sell the recording to the highest bidding news channel or even better, put it on internet? I bet that before tonight you'd be famous as the girl who assaulted Panacea." This seemed to give Sophia a pause "And as much as I hate the nazis I bet that they'd put a pretty big bounty on your head just because of the color of your skin. Are you willing to put your family in danger to 'take me'?" Did I mention that when pissed off Amy can be pretty ruthless?

"They wouldn't. The rules." This in turn made Amy pause and arch an eyebrow in surprise.

"Rules that applies to capes. But I don't see any cape other than me here. Just my friend and a couple of idiots that doesn't know when to back off. " This time it was Amy who got in the face of Sophia and whispered to her barely loud enough for me to hear. "So go ahead give me your best shot."

"But you are a hero" said Emma bewildered. "You can't threaten her like that."

"I didn't hear any threat." I Interjected.

"When did I threatened her? " Added Amy "I'm just a healer after all."

"Ok maybe I can't touch you, bitch" said Sophia regaining her brabado. "But you can't stop me from working her over." She said turning to me while cracking her knuckles.

"No, but I can" came Vicky's voice from above us. There she was, throwing a murderous look at Sophia. I had been under her aura before, everyone who spent any amount of time with her had, but never unrestrained like this. Emma fainted but Sophia just staggered and scowled at her.

This was finally enough to attract the attention of the mall security and as Amy and Vicky as parahumans were involved it snowballed until the PRT intervened. We lost the rest of the day being interviewed by agents and repeating the same story again and again. Our parents were called. And at one point things got tense when Mr Barnes threatened with suing us unless we retracted our statements until Mrs Dallon intervened and pointed out that the evidence showed that our version of the events was more accurate than whatever story Emma tried to sell them.

"I'm sorry I involved you guys in this" I said to both Dallon sisters when they finally let us go. We were in the parking waiting for our respective parents to end with the paperwork.

"Hey, don't worry." Said Vicky from my left putting an arm over my shoulders "it was fun seeing my sister here cutting loose like that with that idiot."

"You are my friend, Taylor" said Amy bumping her shoulder with mine on my right "like I'm going to let some bitch harass you and do nothing. "

"Thanks." I said with a smile.

"And we were done with the shopping anyways." Added Vicky. "I can't wait for the date next weekend. You two are going to knock the guys out."

Both Amy and I groaned in unison.


	3. For want of a nail: Taylor, part 3

**Being Taylor doesn't have to be suffering part 3**

December 25 2010, Hebert household

I was busy making my breakfast when I heard someone knocking on the front door. I wondered who could it be so early on Christmas morning.

Last night Dad's friends Kurt and Lacey invited us to spend Christmas eve with them and we came back rather late and being a holiday dad was sleeping in.

I took a look through the window next to the door. Even with the loose jacket and the hood up I recognized her immediately.

"Amy?" I said opening the door.

"Hey Taylor." She said bashfully. "Sorry for coming without calling first or anything. But I didn't know where to go..." She trailed off. "Oh, this was a bad idea." She looked like a frightened rabbit.

"Amy!" I grabbed her by the shoulders before she could bolt. She snapped up her head throwing back the hood. Her eyes were bloodshot and she had circles under her eyes. "Listen, I have no idea what happened to you but what kind of friend would I be if I just let you go out there like that. Come on, you don't have to tell me what happened if you don't want to but at least come in." I said as I ushered her in giving her an encouraging smile. "Want some breakfast? I was fixing myself a little something."

"Ah... if you don't mind..."

As I led her to the kitchen I noticed that she was carrying the bag she uses when she's going to spend the night at the hospital or when she goes to help in the aftermath of endbringer battles. I would have known if there had been an endbringer attack specially on Christmas and I know Amy can be a bit too zealous in her drive to help in the hospitals but I doubt even her would spend Christmas eve volunteering there. Well, more like Vicky wouldn't stand for it.

Some toast with jam, a cup of tea and a bit of small talk later she was still fidgeting and looking at the door.

"Amy," I finally said with a sigh "I'm sorry, really you don't have to tell me anything but at least tell me what can I do to help."

"It's not that, it's just it is something personal and I want to tell you but ..."

"Oh, if you are worried about my dad barging in he won't be be up until noon but if it makes you feel better we can go to my room."

"Okay." She said in a small voice.

When we got to my room, which to my shame was a bit of a mess, we took a seat next to each other on my bed.

"So..." I said as Amy didn't seem to know how to begin. "Carol again?" To be honest if there is something I learned something about Amy in this year and almost a half that I've known her is that if she is in a bad mood it's likely that her mom is involved in some way. Not that Carol is bad or anything but she seems to be unusually hard on her.

"That's part of it." She said letting herself drop on her back. "I don't think I ever told you this but I am adopted."

"Oh." Really eloquent Taylor. Still that explains some things.

"I never knew who my biological parents are and I still don't but..." She took a deep breath. "Last night aunt Sarah and her family came to our house for Christmas. Carol had some wine and after the dinner she and aunt Sarah were talking and didn't know that I could overhear them. At least aunt Sarah, I don't know what to think about Carol anymore." She said as she sat up again.

"They were talking about the past and somehow they ended talking about me. Carol said that she never wanted to adopt me, that it should have been aunt Sarah who should have taken me in. That she could never trust me in case I ended like my biological father. That..." As she started trembling I put an arm around her shoulders. "That I'd end up in the Birdcage like him."

When she finally started to cry I fully embraced her rubbing her back.

"I'm not like that, I swear, Taylor." She said still bawling her eyes out.

"Shhh, I know, Amy, I know."

We stayed like that for a while until Amy finally calmed down and I let her go.

"That explains so much." She continued. "I always wanted her approval and I was never going to get it not to mention showing me even a bit of love. Mark tried to be there for me, but he has his own problems. The only one that really treated me like family was Vicky and I'm not sure if she knows about my biological father."

"I don't know Vicky half as well as you do but even I know that she won't care." I reassured her. "You are her precious sister and she won't let a little detail like genetics get in the way."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Amy conceded the point with a fond smile.

"Now that I think about it, you two are pretty close. How come you didn't try talking to her about this first?" And she's frowning again, dammit why can't I think before I talk.

"I kinda tried last night..." She bit her lip before continuing "but she was so happy about going to Dean's for lunch to meet his family today that I couldn't bring myself to worry her with my problems."

"Oh Amy, sometimes you are too nice for your own good."

"Like you are one to talk, Taylor." She said with a smile bumping her shoulder with mine. "Here you are listening to my woes on a day that one normally spends with family." She added resting her head on my shoulder.

"I'm just being a good friend." I in turn rested my cheek on top of her head. "And my dad is making a great job imitating a hibernating bear so it's not like I had something better to do." I remarked getting a giggle from Amy. "So, anything else to confess now that we are on a roll?" I cursed myself mentally when Amy got tense again.

"Actually..." She said getting up from the bed and begging to pace in front of me. "There is something else, but I'm kinda afraid because..." She paused, averting her gaze "I don't know how you'll take it."

"Oh." Thank you brain for such articulate response .

"It's that... you see... I kinda... like girls." She finally said still pacing and not looking at me.

"That's all?" I said getting up and putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I don't see what's the problem. Other than Vicky trying to hook you up with boys. She doesn't know does she?"

"No, but that's just part of the problem." She answered shaking her head. "There is this girl I've liked for a while... I'd even say that I fell in love with."

"Does she know?" I asked and Amy shook her head again. "Do I know her?"

"Yes, yes you do. But the problem is that she is straight and I doubt she'd ever be interested in me."

I felt my face heating up as my brain connected the dots. Girl, check. Straight, check... Amy and I discussed my preference for beefcake multiple times and now I understand why she couldn't explain what kind of boys she liked. Known Amy for a while, check. Oh, Amy.

"I... Amy. I... I'm really flattered, but..." I stuttered trying to let her down gently.

"Wha..." She looked up at me surprised. Why is she surprised? She herself said that she doubted that I'd be interested. "Oh! No. No no no no no no no no no no no." She rushed through all the noes. "It's not you, Taylor. Not that you aren't attractive because you are. You really are but we are friends and I'd say even that you are my best friend and I don't want to put that at risk and there was already this other girl anyways and... and..." She ended breathless looking at me wide eyed.

How do you react when your lesbian best friend makes you think that she has fallen in love with you only to be friendzoned a moment later? I'll tell you how we reacted. Laughing, laughing so hard that we ended rolling on the floor in stitches. So hard that dad woke up and came to see what the ruckus was about. Of course him in his pajamas with bed hair did nothing to calm us down.

"Sorry, dad." I said when I finally managed to stop giggling. "Remember Amy? My friend from school."

"Sorry for waking you up Mr. Hebert." She said still red in the face half from mortification half from all our laughing.

In the end dad just went away grumbling something about teenage girls.

"So, can I know now who is this girl you broke my heart for." I said bringing my hands to my heart dramatically sending Amy back into giggles. To which she responded throwing my pillow at me.

After a brief war that ended in a draw because we found ourselves again laughing so hard that we couldn't move, Amy finally responded.

"Actually..." She said shyly as we laid on the floor with Amy using my stomach as a pillow while I absentmindedly played with a lock of her hair. "It's Vicky. The girl I'm in love I mean." She waited a moment before continuing. "I know it's strange even if she is not really related to me we still grew up as sisters so having these feelings for her makes me even more of a deviant..."

"Hey, none of that." I said caressing her cheek with my thumb. "We can't help who we fall in love with. Yes she might be your sister figure, but from what you have told me of your family she was also the only one who showed you love when you needed it most. I'm no expert on human psychology but I can easily see that turning into a crush and from there growing into romantic love. You are no deviant Amy Dallon, you are just human."

"Taylor," When I looked down at her again Amy was smiling and crying at the same time. She rolled into her stomach and drew herself up leaving her face next to mine. " Thank you." She said kissing me on the cheek before resting her head on my shoulder and cuddling into my side.

"You are welcome." I answered kissing the top of her head.

We stayed like that for some time before I had an idea.

"Hey, Amy, it's been a long time since I had a friend sleeping over and I think you could use some time away from well, everything." I sensed Amy nodding. "So what do you say if my dad calls your family and you stay with us for a couple of days?"

"I'd love that." Came her muffled answer from my side. "But does it has to be now? I'm tired and you are very comfy." She said tightening her grip on me.

"Humm, maybe it'd be better to wait a couple of hours until dad is more awake." I said bringing my free hand to my mouth in a pensive gesture and then ruffling Amy's hair. "Looks like you are in luck young lady."

"Taylor," Amy yelped "less moving and more sleeping. And you know that I'm older than you."

I closed my eyes with a smile on my face. Yes, this is nice.


End file.
